The Disappointing Multiplayer of Black Ops Declassified

After watching a multiplayer match in Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified, there was only one thing on my mind: This looks a lot like Resistance: Burning Skies, not Call of Duty. The bombed-out buildings and on-fire alleyways of the Shatter multiplayer map definitely have a Black Ops vibe, but the pace, movement, and interface look just like developer Nihilistic Software’s upsetting last game.

Activision’s running theme when talking about Declassified is the word “classic.” Classic maps, classic features, classic Call of Duty. This is because Declassified is more a sequel to Black Ops than it is a predecessor to Black Ops II. Multiplayer class loadouts differ from Black Ops II’s excellent new system, and seem in line with what current Call of Duty players know. There are Kill Streaks rather than the new Score Streaks. Declassified boasts Free For All, Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, and “classic modes” fans expect. The only thing immediately obvious as new was the map.

It’s not that “new” is necessary for Declassified to be a good Call of Duty game. It’d just be nice to see something unexpected. After all, Black Ops II is innovating in interesting ways, and having a tie-in game that feels like a stripped-down, older Call of Duty is a deterring factor for me, not an encouraging one.

The debut trailer for Black Ops Declassified got me excited for multiplayer Call of Duty on Vita. Seeing it in action did nothing to excite me. Very little about it stands out.

Given Burning Skies’ unlikable online mode, I’m especially worried about Black Ops for Vita. I’ll wait until I get to spend time actually playing it before passing too much judgment, though. I’m all about the single-player side, any rate. It the story bridges the two Black Ops games, and will feature Mason, Hudson, and Woods in unspecified ways. I liked that story and those guys, and I’m excited for Black Ops II. The Vita-specific features here are interesting too – the rear touch-pad is used to hold your breath while sniping, and you’ll share loadouts with friends via Near.

I can’t resist the Declassified campaign despite my concerns. I just wish I could say the same about multiplayer.

Mitch Dyer is an Associate Editor for IGN's Xbox 360 team. He’s also quite Canadian. Read his ramblings on Twitter and follow him on IGN.